Promises Made
by CyanoticNightmare
Summary: Chris made a promise that Beth and Hannah would be okay, that he would care for Josh. But when Josh avoids him and then invites everyone to party exactly a year later, what happens? (I suck at summary's, like omfg.)


' _Maybe drinking so much was a bad idea_.' I groaned as I laid my head on the island separating myself from a passed out Josh. I was close to unconsciousness myself but I just felt something was wrong. Maybe I should drink some water and figure it out. I attempted to lift my head up and look around, but the grogginess in my head made my head fall back. I heard some footsteps around the kitchen, not sure who it could be, but I heard a gasp and squinted my eyes open to see Beth trying to shake Josh awake, sounding frantic about something. Before I could open my mouth to ask what was happening she had run out and blackness had surrounded me.

* * *

"What. What are you talking about?" Josh said, disbelief obvious in his voice. I sat up, seeing everyone standing there. It was still night out apparently, Sam looked ready to cry, the others stood there, all looking ashamed, Beth and Hannah weren't there.

"I'm so sorry Josh. I tried to stop them from going through with it-" Sam said, stepping towards Josh as to comfort him, laying a hand on his arm, though he jerked away and shook his head.

"Why would you do that to Hannah? Th-That's sick." Josh said, beginning to sound angry as he looked over everyone.

"It was just a stupid prank!" Ashley said, looking over at me as if for help, but I still had no idea what bad happened, "We had no idea that they would just run out like that!" She finished and I finally stood up, going around and standing by Josh.

"What the hell is everyone yelling about?" I said, pain shooting through my head, I really wish I hadn't of drank so much. Everyone stayed silent, I sighed in agitation and grabbed Josh by his arm, he seemed to lean in on me as I did so, "Bro. What did they tell you?" I asked, hoping he would take his heated gaze off of the others and look at me.

"T-Beth and Hannah are gone." Josh said, finally looking at me in the eyes, "They said they haven't been back for 2 hours." He whispered. "We need to find them."

"No! There's a snowstorm out there. You'll freeze to death!" Sam pleaded, trying to keep Josh inside but Josh just grabbed my wrist and dragged me towards the door, I didn't resist, I was worried about his sisters as well, I may of only been friends with Josh, but I did care about his sisters, maybe because I was close with the Washington family- More the kids than the parents, the parents thought I was a bit obsessed with technology (Which I'm totally not. I just need some wifi to keep me a bit sedated, alcohol helps when I have none.) I heard the others racing after us and someone else grabbed my other hand, making us halt. Josh looked back and let go of me. I looked to see who it was and saw Ashley looking up at me.

"Don't go out there Chris! Please." She pleaded and I turned back towards Josh, but he was already gone and out the door. My eyes widened, and ignoring the pounding pain in my skull I ran out after him.

"Josh! Stop!" I followed his tracks for who knows how long, trying to keep an eye on him as long as I could. He kept taking the fastest routes it seemed, making it a bit hard to keep up as I always seemed to fall or lose my grip on something. Eventually I found him curled up in the snow sobbing. I slowly came up next to him and sat down, swinging an arm around him as I panted from all the running and I felt him lean into me.

"I can't find them." He cried and I nodded.

"Don't worry. We- we just need to call the police. They'll find them. Everything will be alright. The police will help and everything will be hunky dory, alright?" I felt Josh chuckle a bit.

"You're such a fucking optimistic nerd." He said and I smiled a bit, knowing that I'm never going to leave his side, especially if they can't find his sisters. He's going to need me.

* * *

"I haven't seen him since." I said, looking over at the blonde next to me. Sam looked up, surprise on her features, "He ignored me. Well, he would ignore my calls. . .his parents wouldn't let me in their house to see him, and if I saw him in public he would literally run for the hills. . . meaning I'm pretty sure he's been coming up to the mountain. For what, I have no idea. But I just have a feeling that's what has been happening." I looked down, sighing. "I promised him everything would be okay. That the police would find his sisters. . . .maybe that's why he'd been ignoring me." I looked up at the ceiling of the cable car, "Do you have any idea how surprised I was to receive a text message from Josh about coming up to the mountain to 'Party like porn stars'? I almost cried. I know that makes me sound like. . .well a pussy for starters. But I was just so happy to hear from him. I hope he's willing to talk about his sisters to me. Maybe allow me to help him or something."

"Wishful thinking." Sam said, "Sure you'll survive without cell service though?" She joked, making me smile.

"Josh is going to be my top priority this time around."

'More than Ashley?" Sam asked, surprised once again.

"Ashley is just a friend. Maybe something could happen between us. . .but I highly doubt it. We have gotten close over the past year. . . .but knowing she was part of the prank against Hannah. . .I don't know. I can't see myself being romantically involved with her." I explained and Sam hummed in thought.

"Interesting. . ."

"How so?"

"Oh. Ignore me. Just thinking." I gave her a strange look and she just gave me a smile, as the cable car stopped and we got out, realizing the doors were stuck. I noticed Jessica out there and we scared her, making her open the doors.

* * *

I actually did cry this time. We had all survived against the Wendigos. . . well, except one of us. I looked over at Sam and Mike, noting that Josh was nowhere to be seen. I could literally feel my heart aching as I looked everywhere, hoping, just hoping that I would see the oversized overalls clad brunette. I looked at Ashley, noting she looked much too happy as she looked at me. During this. . .prank. I saved Josh the first time, well. . .Tried to. When the saw seriously came towards him I could feel myself breaking. After that I seriously had no reason to live it seemed, so when the second game started, I pointed the gun at myself and shot. When nothing came out and the psycho walked out, taking off his mask, I almost cried once again, so happy to see Josh alive but so pissed that he put me through that emotional trauma. Of course when he tied him up outside I did give him his 'wiggle room' due to his shoulder being stabbed. . .I do feel bad about punching him of course, but that was just a bit of payback for everything he put Ashley and I through that night.

Maybe if I hadn't of left to go back to the lodge he wouldn't be gone.

"Guys! Look!" Emily said, standing up and running a bit towards the woods, we saw three figures stumbling towards the burnt lodge. The first two in front, was Matt half carrying Jessica as they stumbled towards them and right behind them was Josh, shivering terrible and I noticed his overalls were gone and all he was wearing was some baggy jeans and a button up shirt. He looked terrified as he came up, looking at everyone and flinching when they all ran up, everyone surrounded Jessica and Matt, Mike looked so happy as he held Jessica and actually turned to Matt and hugged him as well, thanking him over and over again for getting Jessica back to him. Emily looked so relieved to see Matt but he looked at Emily, then shook his head, making Emily's mood instantly change as she turned and stomped away towards the helicopters that were beginning to land. Everyone was so focused on Matt and Jessica that they didn't even seem to see Josh. I ignored Ashley who was calling for me as I walked up slowly to Josh who looked at the ground, twitching.

"You're alive." I breathed out, limping towards him the rest of the distance as I wrapped my arms around him. He was breathing heavily and clung on to me.

"You're. . .You're real?" He asked and I nodded, a sob escaping me, I have never cried so much in my life than I have this night.

"How?" I asked and Josh looked around.

"Slipped away from. . .from Hannah. She left after she left me. . .surrounded my bodies. . . .Beth taunted me after Hannah left. Wanted to prove I wasn't useless. Found Matt and Jessica hiding from Wendigos. Walked back with them. Matt seemed relieved that I was alive. He thought I was dead. Jessica was confused so we had to explain everything. Matt told me the monsters were real. That they weren't just in my head. I could hardly believe them. But I do. I do believe them. I don't want to. But I do. . . .I'm going to jail aren't I?" I tried to follow along with Josh, but shook my head at the end question.

"Of course not. I'm not letting them take you to jail. None of us are going to press charges. . . It. . .it was just a really bad prank. Okay?" I said and he nodded, looking at me as I took my coat off and wrapped it around him. Noting how thin he looked without the baggy overalls on him. How didn't I see that before?

"I love you Chris." Josh said suddenly and I froze, looking at him and not noticing that Ashley was right next to me when he said that, just as frozen as me. I looked him in the eyes and saw how vulnerable he looked and I couldn't deny that what I felt for him wasn't exactly platonic. "But I want you to be happy of course. That's why I set it all up. I wanted . . .I wanted you to be happy with Ashley." He looked over at the girl who deflated, "You deserve each other. I just. . .I just don't want to ruin that but I'm pretty sure I just did. What's wrong with me? Why did I say that. I'm just a dumbass. Beth and Hannah are right, they are so so very right." Josh rambled and grabbed his head with his hands, shaking him head. I grabbed his wrists, taking his hands away as I looked at him, he may of been taller than me. (One centimeter, he never lets me live it down that he got taller than me after years of me always being the taller of the two. Just one centimeter. But he's proud of himself for it so I just go along with it.) But at the moment he seemed so small, more broken looking than just a year ago when Beth and Hannah first went missing.

"I love you too." I said and Josh stopped whispering to himself and looked up at me.

"We need to go." I heard a woman say, I turned and saw everyone was already in the helicopters, ready to take off. When did Ashley leave? I nodded and led Josh to a helicopter, Sam patted the seats next to her and I sat Josh in between us. Ashley sat across from us and smiled sadly as my intertwined hands with Josh who laid his head in my shoulder, shaking.

"I knew this would happen." Ashley said and I looked at her, a bit confused, "I could see the ways you looked at Josh. . . .I had just hoped you would look at me that way." She admitted and I could see Sam struggling a bit on the other side of Josh.

"I think I know someone who is feeling the same way about you." I said and Sam actually choked. Ashley looked over at Sam in confusion and her eyes widened a bit. Sam shook a hand.

"I'm fine. Just processing everything still." She yelled over the sound of the helicopter and looked away, a blush dusting her cheeks. I could feel vibrations coming off Josh, he seemed to be laughing. I looked down at him and ran my hands through his hair, knowing that I'm definitely, this time, not leaving his side no matter what. I need to help him more than ever and he can't say or do anything to change my mind.


End file.
